I have just come across this thread. Rooies posted about Tsetse flies being attracted to dark colours. This is true and also the reason why Tsetse fly traps are dark blue.

I participate because I care - CUSTOS NATURAENo to Hotels in and commercialization of our National Parks.No to Legalized Rhino and Lion trade.Done 159 visits to National Parks.What a wonderful privilege.

Hi Guys,It is well known and documented that elephants have an amazing memory. If you take the elephants that are in the Kalahari and very arid areas as an example. They know ever watering hole in the area they are in at any given time. And if there is no water above ground they will dig for water. They are very successful at finding water because their sense of smell is excellent. BUT, if you don’t know where to look and smell for water then you will just be digging holes all over the place, so memory will play a huge part in digging for water.

There was a very good documentary on Carte blanche about the elephants in Pilansberg and their association and memories or helicopters and people in general. This is because of the huge culling exercise they had to do a while back. The elephants that were babies during the culling are now the problem elephants as they were traumatised as babies by the sight of their herd being thinned out. This is why the elephants in Pilansburg are very temperamental.

This is also the case with the elephants in Botswana were hunting was still allowed to happen. I remember a few years back while on a game drive close to the Kalahari a huge male elephant slowly forced us back to the main road just by his presents. Then he disappeared into the bush, only to charge our car when we tried to drive past where he disappeared into the bush.

I have noticed in the last few years the temperament of elephants in general in Kruger has gotten worse and worse. I believe this is happening because of the quantities of cars entering the Kruger during school holidays etc.

I read somewhere that elephants also don’t like the sound and rumble of diesel engines as it mimics the sounds they emit to talk to other elephants in the area. These sounds they emit we are not able to hear but elephants can feel through their feet.

There are also a whole load of other possibilities when it comes to animals and their temperament towards cars and their occupants. MHO all of the maybies people have stated before could play a role, this is dependent on the particular animal in question, as well as their past experiences with colours of cars etc. there are too many variables to pin point a reason.

brogan wrote:I read somewhere that elephants also don’t like the sound and rumble of diesel engines as it mimics the sounds they emit to talk to other elephants in the area. These sounds they emit we are not able to hear but elephants can feel through their feet.

Hmmm.... I do not quite agree with it that diesel engines upset ellies . In fact IMHO it is exactly the other way round . A slowly ticking over diesel engine could actually have a calming effect , whereas a racing petrol engine is quite disconcerting ; it becomes much hotter than a diesel , and therefore it needs more cooling . And I have seen it happen where we are quietly sitting relatively close to ellies ( in our diesel Landy ) , when another vehicle , with a petrol engine , where its fan suddenly switches on , and all the ellies suddenly stop , listen , search around with their trunks , before proceeding again .

Tread softly , and let your departure not be spoiled by the damage of your arrival

BB here is a photo for your ‘research’ file White Petrol Hyundai H-1……………..clearly not liked by Mr Grumpy……….. The visitors stopped and attempted to take a photo, next moment they got his attention alright… (and then we had to idle behind the bloke for 2km on the S120 towards the H3)

We will be visiting Kruger in a couple of weeks for the first time.This happens to be one of my few areas of concern (elephant charges).After reading this thread and other sites for advice on how to handle encounters with elephants.I am now confused .Many of the posts refer to the noise(s) that a car makes, as a possible contributing factor.And I have read advisories to turn off the engine.

I must admit, the idea of turning off the engine is "very scary". Especially with the possibility of facing an agitated ellie. Which could be agitated by someone else's actions and not mine.